


The Willow and the Oak

by LaughableLament



Series: Comment Ficlets [3]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Comment Fic, Community: comment_fic, Ficlet, Gen, Humor, Romance Novel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-22
Updated: 2015-05-22
Packaged: 2018-03-31 16:12:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3984472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaughableLament/pseuds/LaughableLament
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Giles is <em>so</em> busted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Willow and the Oak

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this prompt](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/624166.html?thread=85825318#t85825318): Guilty pleasures: Rupert Giles, steamy romance novels.

_Caroline trembled as Blake’s strong hands encircled her tiny waist in a Titan grip. His shoulders, broad as mountains, curled toward her as his lips drew close, so close she could feel the wet warmth of his breath caressing her face._

_“Blake, please,” she whimpered. “My father -- ”_

_“Has no dominion here.” He brushed his lips against her temple, pulled her close enough to feel the heat building between their loins. “I will marry, you Caroline. I will have you. No man -- ”_

The library doors banged shut and Giles did likewise with the dime store novel clutched in his hands. He shoved it under his desk, let it drop to the floor, and wiped his sweaty palms as discreetly as possible on his slacks.

“Hey Giles! Whatcha readin’?” Willow’s voice, bright as her overalls, betrayed nothing. He was safe.

“Oh, hello there, Willow. Just a bit of research, you know.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Oh yeah? Since when are the esoteric mysteries of the world published in paperback?”

“Paperback?” Giles stabbed around on his desk for a plausible replacement for his erstwhile reading material. “Whatever do you mean?”

Willow leaned down and plucked _The Thornes of Wildrose_ from the floor in front of his desk.

“Oooo! Steamy!” She hitched up one side of her mouth as her eyes scanned the cover. “Giles.” For all the world she sounded like a scolding mother. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“It’s not what you think!” Giles insisted. “Th-the author, Evangeline Marchand, does impeccable research in building her worlds.” He might have succeeded at selling this ruse, if not for the heat in his cheeks and the perspiration on his brow.

Willow walked round the desk and deposited the book in front of him. She gave his shoulder a friendly pat. “Don’t worry.” Her tone had turned conspiratorial. “Your secret’s safe with me.” Her crinkled nose and sparkling eyes inspired him to trust her.

The next day, Giles discovered, tucked behind a stack of tomes of ancient lore and potent magicks, a paper grocery bag. Inside, he found close to two dozen worn Harlequin paperbacks, and a Post-It note reading: “Enjoy! (And trade me some sometime.) ♥, Willow.”

**Author's Note:**

> You guys! I wrote some _Buffy!_ I hope the Winchester boys don't get jealous. (Then again... Jealous!Sam is pretty hot...)


End file.
